My Random Thoughts and Odds & Ends Gathered Over The Years Etc. & Other Stuff I Found Interesting & Worth Sharing.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Trip To Tiruvarur

Went to a place called Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu to visit a cousin of my wife who is working there as a Chief Educational Officer. Another two cousins of my wife came along. We reached there on 27.12.10 morning and then went to a place called Vailanganni to visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary. You can get details about the three appearances of the Virgin Mary at this link. Even during the days when the festival is not being held there will be quite a good crowd where Christians, Hindus and Muslims can be seen.
We were there for the whole evening and got home only at night. Here are some pictures that I took on that day. The views of the church are not the original church that was built. This is a new one.

The view of the front and side of the church

Me, My wife (on my right) and my wife's cousins

My Wife (Green Saree) and Her Cousins

Eateries - The Round Ones Are Called Bondas And The Others Are Vadais

Dolls, Key Chains and Artificial Flowers On Sale

Crabs and fish ready for cooking. The crabs can be had dry fried or in a gravy. The fish are cleaned, salted and pasted with spices ready for frying or cooked in the form of a sauce.

Shells, Decorative Item and Decorative Items In The Form Of Cashew Fruits and The Protruding Nuts.

This is a place where hair is given as an offering to the Virgin Mary. The "Hair" is misspelled as "Hire".

The next day we all went to a lagoon near a place called Muthupet, some 60 km. from Tiruvarur for a boating ride on the lagoon. We had to take our food along and we were accompanied by some of the staff of my wife's cousin who, as I said before, is the Chief Educational Officer of the region. A slight drizzle played spoilsport on our outward journey and so we held umbrellas. There are a few outposts on the lagoon where people can have their meals. We went to the third one where we had our meals. The rain become heavier and the boatman and the some others made a make shift tent. We returned drenched but after having a good time.

Here are some pictures that I took.

On The Way To Muthupet Lagoon

Starting out in the rain

The lagoon with a view of the watchtower and rest shed

Sand being quarried from the lagoon bed and loaded on to a bullock cart

About Me

I was born in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu in India and went to Burma (now Myanmar) in 1954 and lived there for 9 years returning to India in 1963 when I went to Karaikal in the State of Pondichery to finish my schooling at St. Mary's High School. Did my Pre-University in St. Joseph's College, Trichy and then went on to do my Engineering (Civil) in the Thiagaraja College of Engineering, Madurai.

Subsequent to my education I joined the Public Works Department of the Government of Tami Nadu as a Junior Engineer and rose to the rank of a Joint Chief Engineer and retired in September 2006.

Now I spend my time with my iPad, my PC, my Books and my Music System.